What they're saying: Immigration

Immigration is the issue of the moment, after President Obama and a bipartisan group of Senators unveiled this week similar ideas for reform. The proposals are sure to be debated at length in opinion pages and on talk shows over the coming days and weeks, but it's the members of Congress who will ultimately make the call. Here's what some of our local, Orange County representatives are saying about the reform proposals.

"I applaud President Obama for taking the case for comprehensive immigration reform directly to the American people today. Not only is our immigration system broken, but our immigration policy fails to build on our country's great tradition of diversity, equality and fairness. It is hugely important that President Obama is making this important issue his top legislative priority. Now it's time for Congress to act." -- Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Cerritos, in a Tuesday press release

"The outline is a starting point that recognizes many of the problems in our current immigration system." --Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, commenting in a statement released Monday about the framework unveiled by senators

"This is a despicable attempt to force amnesty on us by threatening to with hold [sic] border & domestic security measures." --Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, in a Tweet he posted on Tuesday.

"I believe a majority of Americans realize we have got to address this issue of immigration. ... I'm very hopeful that we might get this done. It's a necessity for Americans. We are a nation of immigrants." Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, said in phone interview

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